


How Long Did This Take?

by paigeeyovkoff



Series: When It's Over [3]
Category: Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: F/M, The Golden Trio Era, The Marauder's Era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-18
Updated: 2012-03-18
Packaged: 2017-11-02 03:10:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/364339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paigeeyovkoff/pseuds/paigeeyovkoff
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You see, back then it was only a crush, as she looked up to him in a way. He was older, may it be by only two years, but back then it seemed like a lot, and he was a lot smarter, a lot wiser than her cousin, of whom was really the only male in her life then, besides her best friend, Charlie Weasley. - Tonks/Remus</p>
            </blockquote>





	How Long Did This Take?

**How Long Did This Take?**  
 **Couple** : Remus Lupin and Nymthodora Tonks  
 **Words** : 1,039  
 **Generation** : Marauder’s Generation to the Golden Trio Generation  
 **Disclaimer** : If you’re looking for a very rich and successful woman, keep looking, I’m not her.

…

As Nymthodora Tonks, looked across the kitchen table, at the man sitting there, she wondered, how long had it taken, to get to where they were right now? What had they gone through, before they finally had taken the risk, that she’d been trying to get him to take, since the moment they had met again?

She remembered when she met him, he was only in second year, as she walked up and had the Sorting Hat placed on her bubble gum pink hair, her eyes dodging between the Gryffindor table where he and her favourite cousin sat, and the Slytherin table where the rest of her family lay.

You see, back then it was only a crush, as she looked up to him in a way. He was older, may it be by only two years, but back then it seemed like a lot, and he was a lot smarter, a lot wiser than her cousin, of whom was really the only male in her life then, besides her best friend, Charlie Weasley.

As time had grown on, that crush had faded slightly, as she watched him go through OWLS and NEWTS and then finally graduate, leaving two years ahead of her. She didn’t even think that he had noticed her really, during those five or six years that they knew each other. He was one of Sirius’ best friends, and that made her off limits. If only her cousin could see them now.

Then, after she graduated, she joined the Order of Pheonix, her life already complicated after the death of Lily and James Potter, and the fall of Voldemort, but the Order wasn’t really needed anymore. It was just her way of reconecting with Remus Lupin, after everything that had happened.

With Sirius being sent to Azkaban, and Peter’s death also, Remus was the only Marauder presumed to be alive, and he was what reminded her of her cousin, who she never saw again.

As years went on, they had stayed in contact, even though it was useless. Her infatuation over him had washed away, many years ago, but she knew that it was there, just waiting to be called back.

She heard stories, from Charlie, that he had heard from his younger brother Ron, about Lily and James’ son, growing up and reaching Hogwarts. Nymthodora had wanted to see him, but knew that it was risky. She knew that he did not know much about his parents, and he possibly knew nothing about Voldemort, and her contacting him would not help especially with his Godfather in gaol, and his parent’s dead.

Tonks remembered receiving a letter, at the start of Harry’s third year. It was Remus, telling her that he finally secured a job, even though most employers would not hire him, because of his ‘furry little problem’. When he said that he would be teaching Harry, she thought of what could happen.

And then Sirius escaped from Azkaban.

Now that came to a shock, for both of them. As they both still believed that Sirius had been the reason that Lily and James were dead, and that her cousin had been the one that killed Peter Pettigrew.

But as the year drew to a close, she received another letter. One from Remus Lupin and one from her cousin.

Both explained the same thing, how they had changed the secret keeper of the Potter’s cottage at the last minute, and how Peter had given them to Voldemort. About how Sirius confronted Peter, shortly after Hagrid had rescued Harry from the wreckage, and how Peter had faked his own death, leaving the Ministry no choice but to place Sirius on trial for Peter’s murder.

The thing was, hearing that story, reminded Nymthodora of everything Remus meant to her. Hearing from her cousin had reminded her of how much she had hoped to be with Remus Lupin, in some form or way.

When the Order of Pheonix was regrouped again, this time with her there, she saw a lot more of the man she had begun to love again. And as she heard the tale of how Voldemort had been reborn, she had become scared once more.

Nymthodora had thought of Lily and James Potter as heroes, and now, the man that killed them was back, forcing a lot of the Order of Pheonix to remember how much the pair had done for them, whether they had noticed it from the beginning or not.

She remembered that they were the ones who introduced her to the man she sat across from now.

Then after Sirius’ death, Remus was the one, who let her her sit in his embrace, her eyes dried out, with no more tears to bring.

She had tried to get him to see it then, see that they could work out, but he continued with the same reasons that she knew were not true.

_“I’m too poor, I’m too dangorous, you deserve someone young, someone whole.”_

She knew that she didn’t want any of those things. She wanted _him_.

As time went on, it continued. He would show interest in her, but when faced with the possibilty, he would shut it down, leaving her to hear his exuces, again and again.

When Albus Dumbledore was murdered, at the top of the Astronomy tower, Nymthodora realised she could take no more of his exuces.

_“I don’t care Remus! I want you!”  
“You deserve someone better, Dora, you don’t-”  
“I don’t care! When will you realise that?”  
“I have realised that, but Nymthodora, you know that I would never be able to support you. You will always deserve better.”  
“You will never realised, that I don’t want pure, I have always wanted you.”_

She could only laugh at the feeble memory, but smiled as she remembered him cutting her off with a kiss, slow and gentle.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked her, taking her hand from across the table.  
“Just how much I love you,” she smiled.  
“I love you, also,” he replied, leaning forward and placing a kiss on the corner of her lips.

If only it hadn’t taken this long for him to realise.

If only her cousin could see them now…

**Author's Note:**

> Let’s start with a small spell-check. ‘Gaol’ is the Australian spelling of ‘Jail’, as you weirdos put it   
> This was a quick job, just letting you now, and it’s a total drabble. No joke.


End file.
